Breaking Barriers for Gender Rights and Justice through Research returns for its third edition of Springer Nature’s free, virtual conference series exploring progress, challenges, and opportunities related to SDG 5: Gender Equality. 

The first event in the series, Policy Pathways for Gender Equity, draws on the latest evidence from the 2026 Gender Snapshot report produced by UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The session will explore the current state of women’s leadership globally and examine how leadership shapes policies that affect the lives of women and girls. Panelists will discuss issues ranging from reproductive rights and bodily autonomy to education policy, labour protections, and the implications of emerging technologies.  

Despite decades of progress, women remain underrepresented in political, economic, and institutional leadership positions around the world, while decisions made by leaders continue to shape policies that affect women’s rights, wellbeing, economic opportunities, and participation in society. This discussion will examine both the progress that has been made and the barriers that remain. 

To explore these issues from research, policy, advocacy, and leadership perspectives, we are joined by five distinguished speakers whose work has shaped conversations on gender equality around the world. Learn more about the participants below:  

Session chair Hope Chigudu has decades of experience in movement building, leadership development, and organizational transformation. As a coach and facilitator, she guides transitions and nurtures human possibilities, dismantling oppressive structures while creating futures of love, justice, and liberation. Raised by the Bakiga of western Uganda—farmers, healers, dancers, and storytellers—Hope carries their rhythm of resilience and joy into her practice. She co-founded the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network and has served on boards including the Global Fund for Women, Urgent Action Fund–Africa, Oxfam South Africa, and Practical Action. Rooted in Africa yet spanning continents, Hope balances activism with exercises—and laughter remains her revolutionary strategy. 

Vandana Ramachandran is an executive coach, mentor, and former research leader with over 30 years of international experience spanning scientific research, research management, healthcare, and leadership. She earned her PhD from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in collaboration with INSERM, Paris, followed by postdoctoral research at The Scripps Research Institute, USA. She subsequently transitioned from laboratory research into senior leadership roles at A*STAR and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) before founding Dr. Vandana STEM Consultancy, where she supports PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and STEM professionals in navigating career transitions and developing as leaders.  

Srilatha Batliwala is a lifelong feminist activist, researcher, writer, teacher, and theorist based in India. Over the past five decades, her work has transitioned from grassroots movement building with marginalized urban and rural women in India to research and policy advocacy on gender equality and women’s rights. She has worked internationally in grant-making, scholarly work, building theory from practice, and capacity building of young women activists around the world. Best known for bridging the worlds of theory and practice, she has written extensively on a range of women’s issues and feminist approaches to leadership. She considers herself a feminist grandmother—both in the women’s movement, and to her four grandchildren! 

We spoke to Srilatha about what she’s most interested in exploring in the session. She is looking forward to discussing how the leadership of marginalized women’s and girls’ movements can ensure greater accountability of policy to their interests, particularly when women and girls cannot access or influence policy processes.  

Michelle Ryan is a world-renowned gender equality expert, Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology, and the inaugural Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University. Her work centres on understanding the psychological processes underlying workplace gender inequality, and designing and implementing innovative and evidence-based interventions to increase gender equality.  

Finally, we are thrilled to welcome UN Women representative Antra Bhatt, a Statistics Specialist with UN Women’s Research and Data Team. Prior to joining UN Women, she was a researcher at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. She holds a PhD in International Development from the University of Rome – Tor Vergata and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. 

Join us at 10:30am CEST on 28th September 2026 to hear these experts discuss how leadership, policy, and evidence can help advance gender equality and shape more equitable futures for women and girls worldwide.

Register here today!